Mayoral candidate John Tory says Mayor Rob Ford’s drug and alcohol use are “personal issues” and should be off limits while on the campaign trail.

The former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader, Rogers Cable executive, and former talk radio host told the Toronto Sun on Saturday that while he acknowledges he used a recent mayoral debate to criticize mayor Rob Ford about associating with “criminals” and “gang types,” he won’t be going after Ford when it comes to the latter’s admitted use of crack cocaine.

“I said repeatedly when I was on radio that I thought those were personal issues, and that they are serious personal issues that do impair the ability of anybody to do a job like mayor,” said Tory before speaking with potential voters at Toronto’s Festival of Beer at the Evergreen Brick Works on Bayview Ave. “But they are personal issues, whereas I think when you hang around with criminals ... these are issues that I think are fair game to be talked about in the context of his fitness to continue do the job.”

It was during a debate at Ryerson University Thursday night Tory criticized Ford for his associations with “convicted criminals” and “gang types” who have become players in the crack cocaine scandal currently surrounding Ford — such as Alexander “Sandro” Lisi, who faces extortion charges in relation to attempts to retrieve the infamous video that appears to show Ford smoking the addictive drug.

Tory did acknowledge, however, that when he talked on the air about Ford’s issues, he did express the viewpoint that those struggling with addiction need to focus on getting help.

“I addressed them many times on radio, and what I said at the time — and what I reiterate today — (is) people who have serious personal issues like that should get help. And, in fact, they’d be better off if they took some time off from their job to address those personal issues but (Ford) has chosen a different route.”

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John Tory says he won't use Rob Ford's 'personal issues' in campaign for mayor

Mayoral candidate John Tory says Mayor Rob Ford’s drug and alcohol use are “personal issues” and should be off limits while on the campaign trail.

The former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader, Rogers Cable executive, and former talk radio host told the Toronto Sun on Saturday that while he acknowledges he used a recent mayoral debate to criticize mayor Rob Ford about associating with “criminals” and “gang types,” he won’t be going after Ford when it comes to the latter’s admitted use of crack cocaine.